Method and apparatus for constructing building units



Jan. 29, 1929. 1,700,512

. QA. PEDERSEN nmno'n AND APPARATUS ron consmwc'rme 3011mm UNITS Filed Feb. 25, 192"! 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 gwwemtoz Oscar H eo ers'en.

Jan. 29, 1929. 1,700,512

O. A. PEDERSEN METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONSTRUCTING BUILDING UNITS Filed Feb. 25, 1927 4 sneas-sneet 2 svwemtoz Oscar H Pea arse @513 13 QWMM,

Jan. 29, T929. 1,700,512

' O. A. PEDERSEN METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONSTRUCTING BUILDING UNITS Filed Feb. 25, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 29, 1929. 1,700,512

0. A. PEDERSEN METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONSTRUCTING BUILDING UNITS Filed Feb. 25, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 anomtoz Oxcar afiam en Patented Jan. 29, 1929.

UNETEQ STATES OSCAR A. PEDERSEN. OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONSTRUCTING BUILDING UNITS.

Application filed February 25, 1927.

The present invention relates to improvements in method and apparatus for making building units and more particularly in building units formed of concrete slabs supported by .spacing members.

I am aware that building units and blocks formed of concrete slabs supported by spacing members and reinforced in various ways have hitherto been employed in the construction of buildings. So far as I am aware, however, no one prior to myself has utilized steel beams as the spacing and reinforcing means and I have found that by the use of such beams a simple, erlicient and inexpensive block is obtained and one which is sturdy f and strong in construction and capable of amply sustaining the stresses to which it is subjected in service.

The primary object of my invention is therefore to provide a building unit or block composed of concrete slabs held in spaced relation and reinforced by steel beams.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel method of assembling and forming a building unit of the above'character.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method whereby building units of various sizes and configurations may be made.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of a building unit havin steel beams for spacing the concrete slabs with means for insulating the slabs whereby cold and moi ture is prevented from penetrating therebetween.

l/Vith the above general objects in view, the invention further resides in the specific manner in which I form the building units and in the details of construction and arrangements of parts more particularly related and pointed out in thefollowing descriptio-n of the accompanying drawings in which I have disclosed for the purpose of illustration several preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a building unit in the process of formation illustrating a step in the novel method of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a fragment of a buildingunit constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 3 is a'sectional elevational view of a building unit, the section being taken on the line 33 of Figure 5.

Figure l is a fragmental perspective view Serial No. 170,773.

of the building unit illustrating a further stepin the method of thepresent invention. Figure 5 is a plan view of a building unit 111 the process of formation with parts broken away for more clearly illustrating the nature of the invention.

Figure 6 is a sectional elevational view 01' a fragment of a building unit showing one manner of supporting the insulation between the slabs.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing a modified form of the invention and an alternative manner of supporting the insulation between the slabs.

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing a modified form of building unit in the process of construction.

Figure 9 is a View similar to Figure 8 showing the modified form of building unit at a further step in the process of its construction. 1

By reference to the drawings in which .similar reference numerals denote similar parts throughout the various views, it will be noted from Figure 2 that the building unit comprising the present invention consists of spaced slab members 10 and llsupported and spaced preferably by. means of steel I-beams 12. Between the I-beams and the concrete slabs there are disposed metal laths 13 and 14 which may take any suitable form and may be either chicken wire, sheet metal or in fact any other form. The metal laths are preferably attached to the steel beams, and to this end prongs, such as shown in my pending application, Serial No. 174,496, filed March 11, 1927, may be formed in the beams for attachment and connection of the metal laths thereto.

In the process of constructing the build ing unit of the present invention, the lower slab 10 is first formed and spread on a floor or board 15 and. in this connection I preferably employ mold members for the sides of the lower slab, the mold members being indicated by the numerals 16 in Figure'l. As will be noted by reference to said Figure 1, the mold members 16 are clamped in position by means of thumb nuts 17 which screw on bolts 18 attached to the board 15 and projecting through slots 19 in the members, 16. By reason of the provision of the slots the members 16 may be adjusted whereby the sizesof the slabs and building units may be adjusted and changed.

After the lower slab 10 has been formed ilk QJI

in the above manner the metal lath 13 is placed over it. On top of the metal lath the steel beams are next placed. These steel beams are supported on end form or mold members 20 and for this purpose the form members have inwardly projecting lugs2l through which extend wedge elements 22 into the beams for supporting the same. The endform members are provided with openings 23 between the adjacen'tbeams to allow access into the space formed between said beams. The end-form members also have flanges 24 whereby they may be seated on ridges, 25, on the form members 16 in the manner indicated in Figure 1. The sides of the building unit in the process of construction are defined by divisional form members 26 which detachably lock with the end form members 20, screws having thumb nuts 27 being pref "erably employed for the purpose of clamping the divisional form men'ibers to the end-form anen'i'bcrs.

As best indicated in Figure 3 a member 28 in the form of arod or the like'extends transversely through the center of the various beams serving as reinforcement and spacing means for the slabs. This member '28 acts as a support for U-shaped levers 29, the free endsof which engage and rest onthe member 28. The levers are inserted through'the openings 23, and are held in clevatedposition by means of latches 30 carried by the end-form members in which position they'ar'e disposed substantially parallel to the concrete slabs. The purpose of the member 28 and the levers '29 is tosuppo'rt planks 31 which extend horizontally between the steel beams and act as supporting means for the upper concrete slab 11. These planks are preferably positioned just below the tops of the beams 12. On top of the planks and the beams the metal lath 1% is placed and on top of this lath let the upper concrete layer 11 is spread.

After the concrete forming the upper slab 11 has attained a'suificient set to be self-supporting, the levers 29 are released by manipulating the latches 30 and are withdrawn through the openings 23 in the end-forms. T he planks 31 are also withdrawn by pulling them out through the same openings. The rod 28 may be either retained in the slab as a permanent part thereof or may be detached tl'ierefron'i, either expedient being within the scope of the present invention. In order to accelerate and hasten the time required for the concrete to set, artificial heat may be applied to the interior of the slabs through the openings in the end-for1ns. This artificial heat may be in the form of steam or some other gas having a high temperature.

The reason for supporting the steel beams 'onthe end forms is'to prevent their sagging into the concrete slab 10. The provision of the rod, 28, provides a central support for theplankssupporting theupper slab and prohibits any sagging of the planks and con cavity in the slab. By reference to Figure 2, it will also be noted that the upper and lower ends of the beams are embedded to a certain extent in the concrete slabs thus providing a more sturdy, solid and rigid construction of building unit and a more intimate associationo'fthe slabs with the beams. In carrying out my invention I prefer also to assemble the beams and the forms as a unit and to place this unit upon the mold members 16 rather thanto build the structure up piece by piece. Afterthe concrete in the slabs has attained'a sufficient set the various form members'are removed by withdrawing the wedges 22 leaving the completed building unit.

In the construction above described, Imake no provision for reinforcing the individual slabsof the unit. It will be understood however that reinforcement may be added to the slabs to make them more sturdy and impart greater strength thereto.

In some cases-particularly whenthe unit is used in the formation'of-the outside'wall-of a house itmay be desirable to insulate the slabs one from the other so as to prevent cold-and moisture from penetrating from slab to slab. By my invention I proi' ide means for insulating the slabs. One way in which this may be done is shown "in Figure 6 and by reference to said figure it will be noted that the steel beamsmay be in the form of channel irons 55 provided with grooves 36 disposed approximately centrally between the slabs. These grooves serve as supporting means for an insulating line'ror board 37, the function whereof is to prevent moisture and cold from passing between. the concrete slabs. I also preferably provide insulation 38 directly in the channelirons forobtaining a more perfect insulating of the-slabs. i/Vhen the upper slab of the building unit is f'orn'ied, concrete penctrates betweenthe channel irons as shown at 39 as far as the insulation permits. This may add slightly to the strength of the unit but'is not an essential feature of the present invention. I

An alternative manner of providing the building unit with insulation is shown in Figure 7 wherein the spacing means for the slabs comprise twosteel I-beams 'lO arranged one on top of the other and be ween which there is clamped the insulating liners 41 and other insulating means 42, the I-beams being clamped and secured together by bolts l3 or similar means. This form of construction has been found to possess superior or insulating properties to the form previously described but is not as strong and does not provide as sturdy a construction or one capable of sustaining as great stress in service.

An alternative form of. building unit and method of constructing the same is illustrated in Figures "8 and *9 of the drawings to "which reference will now be made. This form of unit while retaining the distinguishing features of the prior form has been designed for the purpose of eliminating the end forms 20. In this modification of the invention the lower slab 10 is also made on a floor between mold members 51. In this construction however, I employ angle irons 52 on the ends of the slab 10 over which the metal lath 13 is placed. The purpose of the angle irons 52 is to support the steel beamsl2 and therefore it is not necessary to utilize end forms and means thereon for supporting the beams. As in the first modification of the invention, the metal lath 14 is placed on top of the steel beams and on this metal lath which is supported by planks 30 in a manner similar to that disclosed in the first form of the invention, the upper concrete slab 11 is spread. Of course, in this modification of the invention it is necessary to employ means for preventing the concrete of the upper slab from flowing over the ends of the metal lath and to this end I employ angle irons 53 on the ends of the I-beams which serve as end mold members for the upper slab.

It will be understood that in this form of the invention also, the angle irons, metal laths and steel. beams are formed as a unit and the unit is placed on top of the concrete slab 10, although, of course, it is possible to build up the building unit piece by piece. The provision of the angle irons also augments the strength and rigidity of the building unit and thus they serve a function in addition to those above stated.

Building units formed according to my invention are extremely simple in construction, and can be made very cheaply and at the same time possess great strength in service. I have eliminated .many of the details characterizing prior constructions which necessitate the expenditure of considerable time and effort in incorporating them into the building unit and have made a practical and economical building unit capable of being successfully applied in the formation oi buildings.

lVhile I have disclosed specific embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that the same are merely illustrative and that my invention is to be construed as limited only by the state of the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method oi constructing a concrete slab on top of beams having a transverse member ext-ending through them which coinprises laying the ends of levers on said transverse member, laying supporting members on said levers and between the beams, raising and holding the levers in an elevated position, forming the concrete slab on said supporting members and beams, and lowering and withdrawing the levers and supporting members after the concrete has set.

2. Apparatus for constructing a building unit comprising lower mold members between which a concrete slab is adapted to be formedand upper mold members adapted to seat on said lower mold members, said upper mold members having means for supporting beams above said concrete slab and serving as a means between which another concrete slab is molded above said beams. Apparatus for constructing a building unit comprising means for forming a concrete slab, means for supporting beams above said slab, a transverse member extending through the beams, levers having ends adapted to be supported on said transverse member, means for detachably supporting the other ends of the lovers in raised horizontal position, supporting members adapted to be placed on said levers and between the beams, and means for formiru another concrete slab on said slabs and supporting members.

4. Apparatus for constructing a building unit comprising means for forming a slab of cementitious material, side mold members for supporting beams above said slab, supporting members adapted to be detachably supported. between the beams so that another slab may be formed on said support ing members and beams between said mold members, the mold members disposed at the ends of the beams having openings between the beams through which said supporting members may be Withdrawn.

5. The method of constructing a building unit which comprises forming a lower slab of cementitious material, supporting beams above said slab with the beams embedded slightly in said slab, placing supporting members between the beams, forming another slab of cementitious material on said supporting members and beams with the beams embedded slightly in said second slab, and withdrawing the supporting members through the ends or the unit after the concrete has set. I

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 28rd day oi. February, 1927.

OSCAR A. PEDERSEN. 

